Universities reflect on ban on apps

Universities reflect on ban on apps

Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) are considering whether apps ‘from countries with offensive cyber programmes against the Netherlands’ should be banned from their employees’ work phones. This was the response of a TU Delft spokesperson to questions from Delta. “This is being discussed within the UNL so that universities act jointly on this,” he said. He also informed that TU Delft currently has no policy in this area. “We advise employees to use common sense regarding social media in general.”

Questions about the use of TikTok and other apps arose after the Dutch government earlier this month prohibited all civil servants from using ‘spy-sensitive apps’ on their work phones. That decision followed advice from the intelligence agency AIVD, which stated that all apps ‘controlled by countries with offensive cyber programmes targeting the Netherlands and Dutch interests involve an increased spy risk’. This includes Iran, Russia and North Korea in addition to China.

Saxion University of Applied Sciences, in response, almost immediately said it did not want employees to use TikTok on their work phones. A ban, however, did not happen. (HOP, PvT/Delta, SB)